Values

The idea of creating a multi service clinic that is run by racialized providers for racialized providers came from personal and work experiences that Nazanin, the founder, had. As an immigrant woman, over time, she started to notice a consistent pattern of behaviours and comments from her providers that made her feel judged, misunderstood or othered.

Over time, as our language and awareness as a society expanded, we now have more nuanced labels for those behaviours: micro-aggressions, xenophobia, white supremacy, queerphobia, sex shaming, and culturally unsafe practices. Through speaking with her friends, listening to her clients and supporting many queer and trans newcomers and refugees, she realized that her experiences were not isolated.

The health inequalities exacerbated by the global pandemic, murder of George Floyd and the violent treatment of Joyce Echaquan, along with a strong desire for her communities to have access to better, safer, kinder care planted the seed of creating a clinic in Nazanin’s mind.

During 2023 and 2024, she took a step back from her roles as the program manager at Rainbow Refugee and clinical supervisor at CWHWC to focus her efforts on establishing Nabat. The notwithstanding clause being invoked in Saskatchewan and potentially in Alberta and BC, as well as the election results in the States that resulted in an increased attacks on trans, queer and racialized people’s rights brought a sense of urgency for the clinic to start.

In addition, there is a noticeable absence of explicitly safe and competent providers within Fraser Health who provide gender affirming medical care. Part of Nabat’s philosophy is to take the guess work out of safety. We might make mistakes or show errors in judgment, but it wouldn’t be because of incompetency or lack of knowledge. We raise the standards of our services by committing to certain values and intentions, and we commit to transform with and grow from our mistakes while maintaining our connections and relations.

The compass for our actions and decisions at Nabat is based on justice oriented and liberatory practices. Care not Cops, harm reduction, gender inclusive, cultural safety, anti-racism, and decolonization are some principles and approaches that make up our compass. On the clinic/business level, financial stability and sustainability, emotional and psychological well-being, best practices and excellence make up other parts of our compass.